Nordic by Nature – the best hotels in and around Rovaniemi
Whether it’s a glass igloo, glamping or a room next-door to Santa Claus – in Rovaniemi, hotels are usually an experience in their own right
Oasis in the Centre: Arctic City Hotel
If you are looking for tranquillity right in the middle of Rovaniemi, this is the place to be: the Arctic City Hotel in the centre of the city. This family-run hotel, with its cosy rooms and two shared saunas, is located close to Sampokeskus shopping centre and is only a five-minute walk from Angry Birds Park (which is not just popular with children). A short walk away is the Kemijoki, the longest river in Finland, which runs for 550 kilometres. Don’t miss the Lumberjack’s Candle Bridge. It offers a magnificent view of the city.
Good night at Santa’s place
Located in the heart of Santa Claus Village, next to Santa’s office, is the Santa Claus Holiday Village Hotel. Situated approximately eight kilometres north of Rovaniemi, guests can choose between cottages, suites and spacious rooms. The suites have their own sauna and kitchenette, and the cottages also have a terrace, a great place to look out for the Northern Lights. Lapland specialities and international delicacies are served in the two restaurants.
Elegant Design: Arctic TreeHouse Hotel
Luxury surrounded by Arctic nature at the Arctic TreeHouse Hotel in the forests of Rovaniemi. One highlight of this award-winning designer hotel is its huge panoramic windows that offer spectacular views of the pine forest and, most importantly, the sky. Guests can literally see the light of midsummer nights from their bed and, with a bit of luck, the Northern Lights too. Private saunas make a stay in these stilt houses complete. No wonder you’ll barely want to go out at all. But you should – because there are lots of activities in the area such as hiking, cycling and skiing in winter.
Rustic: Rovamotelli
It is exactly how many people envisage typical Nordic living to be: a collection of colourful wooden huts with rustic interiors, their own saunas and terraces where you can cool down after sweating with a view of the green. The Motelli Rovaniemi accommodation offers not only cottages and apartments, but also simple rooms. Guests can enjoy the large garden with use of a barbecue and complimentary bicycles. On these, you can quickly reach various highlights in Rovaniemi: Rovaniemi Church is just under eight kilometres away, Lumberjack’s Candle Bridge nine and the Arctic Science Centre ten
Romantic: Apukka Resort
Instead of snow, this glass igloo offers breathtaking panoramic views through the dome. The Aurora Glass Cabins at the Apukka Resort are available in different variants, for example for families and couples. Especially in winter, it can be very romantic to snuggle up in bed together after a walk through the snow and look up at the starry sky, waiting for Northern Lights. The glass dome is heated, so even in frost and snow, you can still have a clear view out. And to make sure it’s dark enough to sleep, it is fitted with large curtains.
Blissfully secluded: Aurora Hut Igloo
If you are looking for seclusion, this is the perfect place: the floating tent igloo, known as the Aurora Hut Igloo of the Invisible Forest Lodge, is located on a river in the middle of the forest, only about 15 minutes by car from Rovaniemi. Without a reception, any restaurants or other infrastructural services, the Aurora Igloo offers true privacy. Instead of a shower, there is a jacuzzi from which guests have an unforgettable view over the river. Speaking of the view: the large panoramic windows allow you to watch the sun rise from your bed and possibly also discover the Northern Lights (only for adults).
Comfortable: Ounasvaaran Lakituvat Chalets
Close to the Arctic Circle, the Ounasvaaran Lakituvat Chalets are ready to welcome sporty guests. Cross-country trails and hiking routes run around the hillside cottages, while the famous Ounasvaara ski resort is only 500 metres away. From a viewpoint close by, you can watch sunrises and sunsets – and sometimes even reindeer. They repeatedly roam through the area and have previously been seen on the grounds of the chalets. Each accommodation has its own sauna, fireplace, underfloor heating and heated cloakroom. Despite its seclusion, the chalets are only three kilometres from the city centre.
Northern Lights Alarm: Santa’s Igloo Arctic Circle
Santa’s Igloos Arctic Circle is located around eight kilometres from central Rovaniemi. This five-star hotel offers luxuriously appointed igloos with rain showers, saunas and glass roofs that allow you to see the midnight sun and Northern Lights. By the way, the reception offers a Northern Lights Alarm for the latter so that no guest misses the natural spectacle. From the accommodation, you can go on long bike excursions and extensive hikes. But not just to the Santa Claus Village – which is only 600 metres away.
Header - Photo by Invisible Forest Lodge
Paragraph 2 - Photo by Visit Rovaniemi
Paragraph 3 - Photos by Visit Rovaniemi
Paragraph 4 - Photos by Visit Rovaniemi
Paragraph 5 - Photo by Ariel Skelley on Getty Images
Paragraph 6 - Photos by Visit Rovaniemi
Paragraph 7 - Photos by Invisible Forest Lodge
Paragraph 8 - Photos by Santa Claus Village
Paragraph 9 - Photo by Visit Rovaniemi
Paragraph 9 - Photos by Visit Rovaniemi
